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He caught up the next paper ; it was a brief note in the doctor’s hand and dated at the top . “ O Poole ! ” the lawyer cried , “ he was alive and here this day . He cannot have been disposed of in so short a space ; he must be still alive , he must have fled ! And then , why fled ? and how ? and in that case , can we venture to declare this suicide ? O , we must be careful . I foresee that we may yet involve your master in some dire catastrophe . ” “ Why don’t you read it , sir ? ” asked Poole . “ Because I fear , ” replied the lawyer solemnly . “ God grant I have no cause for it ! ” And with that he brought the paper to his eyes and read as follows : “ My dear Utterson , — When this shall fall into your hands , I shall have disappeared , under what circumstances I have not the penetration to foresee , but my instinct and all the circumstances of my nameless situation tell me that the end is sure and must be early . Go then , and first read the narrative which Lanyon warned me he was to place in your hands ; and if you care to hear more , turn to the confession of “ Your unworthy and unhappy friend , “ HENRY JEKYLL . ” “ There was a third enclosure ? ” asked Utterson . “ Here , sir , ” said Poole , and gave into his hands a considerable packet sealed in several places . The lawyer put it in his pocket . “ I would say nothing of this paper . If your master has fled or is dead , we may at least save his credit . It is now ten ; I must go home and read these documents in quiet ; but I shall be back before midnight , when we shall send for the police . ” They went out , locking the door of the theatre behind them ; and Utterson , once more leaving the servants gathered about the fire in the hall , trudged back to his office to read the two narratives in which this mystery was now to be explained . DR . LANYON’S NARRATIVE On the ninth of January , now four days ago , I received by the evening delivery a registered envelope , addressed in the hand of my colleague and old school companion , Henry Jekyll . I was a good deal surprised by this ; for we were by no means in the habit of correspondence ; I had seen the man , dined with him , indeed , the night before ; and I could imagine nothing in our intercourse that should justify formality of registration . The contents increased my wonder ; for this is how the letter ran : “ 10th December , 18 — . “ Dear Lanyon , — You are one of my oldest friends ; and although we may have differed at times on scientific questions , I cannot remember , at least on my side , any break in our affection . There was never a day when , if you had said to me , ‘ Jekyll , my life , my honour , my reason , depend upon you , ’ I would not have sacrificed my left hand to help you . Lanyon , my life , my honour , my reason , are all at your mercy ; if you fail me to - night , I am lost . You might suppose , after this preface , that I am going to ask you for something dishonourable to grant . Judge for yourself .
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